Radiant gas burner



1366- 1952 J. R. WlLLiAMS RADIANT GAS BURNER Filed Aug. 10, 1946 I N VEN TOR. 2 7 Z4 wllllll-ll \llllll Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED S i ATE 6PM RADIANT GAS BURNER Application August 10, 1946, Serial No. 689,725

13 Claims. 1

My invention relates to gas burners, and more particularly to burners of the type in which a large fraction of the heat generated and developed by combustion of a combustible gaseous mixture is converted to radiant heat.

Ithas already been proposed to produce radiant heat in an open cavity of a body having a high temperature inner refractory lining or surface, such cavity forming a combustion space to which is supplied a combustible gaseous mixture which may produce combustion in the space to heat the inner surface thereof to incandescence. By accomplishing substantially all of the combustion of the gaseous mixture in the combustion space, high combustion temperatures are developed for effectively heating the surface or lining to a high incandescent temperature, thereby promoting the conversion of a large fraction of the heat developed and generated in the combustion space to radiant heat which is projected from the highly incandescent surface for doing useful work. A burner of this type is disclosed in Hess Patent No. 2,215,079, granted September 17, 1940.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved burner of this type in which a large fraction of the heat generated and developed by combustion of a combustible gaseous mixture is converted to radiant heat, and to provide a fabricated construction which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is to provide an improved burner construction of this type in which the component parts may be readily assembled and taken apart without difficult and in which individual parts may be readily replaced when desired.

A further object is to provide an improved tip construction for burners of this type.

A still further object is to provide a combined burner tip construction and holder therefor embodied in a refractory shape.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of my improved burner; Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the burner shown in Fig. l, partly in section, to illustrate the construction more clearly; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the burner tip embodied in my improved burner and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the head being removed from its seat on the larger bottom portion thereof; and Fig. 4 is an end view taken at line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The burner it embodying the invention is of the type having an open cup-shaped cavity H formed with a high temperature refractory wall surface 12 alongside of which combustion of a combustible gaseous mixture is accomplished, such mixture issuing from the discharge orifice I4 of a tip l5. By accomplishing substantially all of the combustion of the gaseous mixture in the cavity l I, the wall surface is heated to a high incandescent temperature whereby a large fraction or proportion of the heat generated and developed by combustion of the mixture in the cavity is converted or translated to radiant heat. The open cavity H is formed in a refractory shape It having a central passage l! of cylindrical form opening into the bottom of the cavity. The passage H extends through the shape it from the bottom of the cavity ,l l to an opposing substantially flat face 18 thereof and includes a first sectionextending from the bottom of the cavity and a second larger section 59 adjacent thereto forming a centrally disposed well or recess of cylindrical shape having a slightly tapered or sloping side wall 26 which converges toward the bottom of the well.

The refractory shape it is snugly held within a two-part outer metallic shell 2! including a dished-out base 22 having a flat bottom which bears against the flat face [8 of the shape It, and an upstanding side wall 23 of about the same height as the depth of the well 59. The periphery of the shape [5 adjacent to the fiat face it thereof is recessed or undercut slightly at 24 to receive the side wall 23, the recessed portion being of such depth that, when the shell 22 receives the shape [6, the outer surface of the upstanding wall 23 is substantially flush with the periphery of that part of the shape it extending from the recessed portion 24.

The substantially straight end of an openended cover 25 slidingly fits over the side wall 23 of the base 22. The shell parts 22 and 25 are accurately formed so that the latter snugly grips the upstanding wall 23 to hold the shell parts frictionally together when in overlapping relation, as shown in Fig. 1. The cover 25 snugly fits about the refractory shape 16 and is formed with an inwardly curved flanged end 26 adjacent to the cavity II which conforms to the contour of the shape It at the extreme outer end of the cavity. Hence, when the cover 25 is frictionally held to the base 22 and the flange 2G acts against the shape it to draw and hold the latter against the flat bottom of the base 122, the shape it is rigidly held in position in the outer metallic shell 2 I. The telescopically fitting metallic shell parts 22 and 25 may be sheet metal stampings formed of any suitable material, such as stainless steel, for example.

To a central apertured region of the base 22 is welded or brazed at 21 a nipple connection 28 having a threaded outer portion adapted to be connected to a suitable source of supply of a combustible gaseous mixture. An exteriorly threaded portion 29 of the nipple connection 28 forms a hollow sleeve which projects ashort distance within the cup-shaped base 22. The inner end of the hollow sleeve 29 is substantially fiat and serves as a support for the outer flange end 30 of the tip [5. The tip I is securely held on its support by a cap member 3| of cylindrical form which threadedly engages the hollow sleeve 29 of the nipple connection 28 and is formed with an inwardly extending flange 32 which overlies and bears against the flange end 30 of the tip.

In order to obtain a gas tight seal between the tip [5 and support therefor, a gasket 33 formed of suitable material, such as asbestos, for example, is interposed between the flange end 39 and hollow sleeve 29 and compressed therebetween, as shown in Fig. l. The cap member 3| fits snugly in the well or recess [9, the diameters of the cap member 3! and the well at the bottom thereof being substantially the same whereby the tip i5 is accurately located in the passage i1 through which it extends.

The tip I 5 is formed of refractory material and comprises a relatively small head portion 35 and a larger main body portion 36. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the discharge 01' inner end of the body 35 is formed with a central recess which receives a narrow reduced part 31 at the underside of the head 35, the part 31 being fixed in position in the recess in any suitable manner.

The combustible gaseous mixture passing into the nipple connection 28 is subdivided into a plurality of gas streams by a number of apertures 38 which extend axially of and are distributed in a ring-like manner about the body 36 adjacent to the peripheral surface thereof. As best shown in Fig. 3, the outer semi-circular portions of the apertures 38, at the extreme inner ends thereof, terminate at an inwardly sloping or slanting wall surface 39 at the inner end or face of the body 36.

The inner semi-circular portions of :the apertures 38, at the inner or discharge end of the tip 15, extend or project beyond the outer semicircular portions of the apertures. This is so because the inner semi-circular portions of the apertures 38, adjacent to the head 35, are formed at the periphery of a raised central part 40 provided at the inner end of the body 36. The raised portion 40 forms a wall of annular-form Whose external diameter is less than that of the body 36, such wall defining the outer open end of the recess receiving the part 31 of the head 35. Hence, when the body 36 is viewed from the narrow inner end toward the outer flange end 39, the raised central portion 40 is formed with a scalloped peripheral edge having a series of spaced apart semi-circular grooves separated by walls 4|, as best shown in Fig. 4.

The head 35 at the underside or face thereof is formed with a wall surface 42 which slopes or slants toward the inner end of the tip l5 at approximately the same angle to the longitudinal axis of the burner as the sloping wall 4 surface 39. When the head is fixed in position on the body 36, the inner part of the wall surface 42 rests directly on the raised central portion 43, as indicated at 43 in Fig. 1, to position the wall surface 42 with respect to the; end face 39 of the body 36 and provide the an-- nular-shaped space or recess M at the under-- side of the head 35 which constitutes the discharge orifice for the apertures 38, each of which is partially shielded at its extreme upper; end from adjacent apertures by the walls 4!.

When the burner ill just described is being; operated by supplying thereto a combustiblev gaseous mixture, such as a mixture of gaseous: fuel and a combustion supporting gas like air. for example, the gaseous mixture at the outer end of the body 36 is subdivided into a phi-- rality of streams by the'apertures 38, as previously explained. The individual gas streams: issuing from the apertures 38 at the inner end of the body 36 are deflected radially outward. through the discharge orifice I4 formed between the spaced apart wall surfaces 39 and 42 which slope or slant in the same general direction the gaseous mixture passes through the apertures 38.

By providing the scalloped peripheral edge at the raised portion of the body 36, in which the semi-circular grooves are in alignment with and more or less form extensions of the inner semi-circular portions of the apertures 38, the identity of the individual gas streams projecting into the cavity II is maintained. By providing the shielding walls 4l' between the semicircular grooves at the raised portion 40, which extend radially outward from the axis of the burner approximately the same distance as the axial centers of the apertures, as best shown in Fig. 4, merging of the individual gas streams takes place at a region about the tip [5 which is relatively close to the peripheral surface of the head 35.

When the gas streams are ignited, a plurality of flames are produced about the peripheral surface of the tip [5. The cavity II is of such shape and the flames project outwardly at such an angle from the axis of the burner ID that the flames do not impinge the refractory wall surface [2 and yet are closely adjacent to and follow such wall surface to heat it to a high incandescent temperature.

Substantially complete combustion of the gaseous mixture may be accomplished in the cavity ll whereby the burner l0 may be positioned relatively close to work to be heated and at the same time avoid flame impingement on the work. Since the individual flames produced at the discharge orifice l4 tend to merge at a region relatively close to the peripheral surface of the head 35, heating of the refractory wall surface l2 to a uniform temperature at sub stantially all regions thereof is promoted, particularly at the region thereof immediately adjacent to and encircling the body 33.

The burner In just described is an especially effective heating tool for heating work in the open, particularly where uniformity of heating is a primary consideration. For each heating application a single burner or group of burners may be employed to effect radiant heating of work. When the burner is operated in the open and a combustible gaseous mixture of ordinary city gas and air is supplied thereto under suitable pressure, the refractory wall surface of the "small'in size. By wayof example and without limitation, the refractoryishape t6 of-a particular burner which has been'made is about two inchesin 'diamet'er'and one and one-half inches in depth. The'ti p '15 'for such burner-is about three-fourths .inch in length and its diameter atthe discharge .orifice end 'M'andflange end "30 are.about";3751and 0.5 inch, respectively. In

such tipten'equally spaced apertures 38 of uniform size are distributed in a 'ring 'likemanner, each aperture being about 0.047 inch in diameter. When it is ues1red to manufacture a-radi-anttype burner in a relatively small size like that just referred to, my improved burner constructionpossesses. many advantages "for such manufacture. This is .so for the reason that, after forming the head '35 and body 36 .of refractory material in suitable dies and firing such parts to appropriate temperatures, either before or after theparts areIjoineIcl together, as by a suitable refractory cement, an .accurately dimensioned tip is .obtaine'dIfor .subdividing the combustible gaseous .mixtureinto a plurality of gas streams to produce the tiny flames at the peripheral surface of. the .head 35.

.Further,theconstructionof the-burner It also permits the manufacture of :an all-ceramic radiant-type burner in thatnometal parts werequired in the passage If? at aregion adjacent .to the-bottom of the cavity H to hold the burner tip in position. By an all-ceramic bLlIl11,-lt is meant that parts thereof subjected to thehigh temperatures developed in the cavity II are formed-of high temperature refractory material, it being obvious that the outer enclosing shell 2|, cap member fl, and nipple connection 28 are .-formed ofmetal. This is made possible by providing the tip 1.5,which, in a more accurate sense, not only provides the actual burner tip at thebottom of the cavity II, at which region the gaseous mixture is discharged, but also serves as aholder for the tip. In a broader-sense, there- .fore, the burner part heretofore referred to as the tip [5 is employed in my improved burner as a combined tip and holder; and the inner'end thereof projectinginto the cavity l I and actually utilized as the tip forms a part of a larger unitary refractory shape which is also employed as a holder or sleeve and formed to subdivide the gas mixture into a plurality of small gas streams.

Suchelongatedrefractory member serving as a combined tip and holder extends from the bottom .ofthe cavity H to the Well it which is removedfrom the combustionregion formed by the cavity. "The bottom of the cup-shaped shell part 22 serves as a'base member having anaperture therein opposite the well i9. It is at the well 19, at a'regionadjacent the rear face of the refractory-shape i5, that *theflange or outer end of the tip member ibis-connected to and mounted and supported on the base member, so that combustible gaseous mixture" supplied under pressure to the hollow sleeve 29 communicating with the aperture in the base member can only pass into the tip openings 38.

The discharge orifice l4 provided'by the refractory head and body 35 of cylindrical form is essentially an annular-shaped recess which is spaced from andclosely adjacentto theinner .end of the ..tip 1 5. The inner ends of the apertures or" openings 38, which-are circular in section, communicate with such recess and the outer semi-circular portions thereof terminate at the wall surface '39 ofthe recess facing the inner end of the tip it. fhe periphery of the tip member at the recess or discharge orifice It is scalloped, as previously explained, to provide the-grooves each ofwhich is in alignment with that portion ofan individuala-perture 3B nearest to thelongitudina-l axis of the tip member 15.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an improved burner in --which one refractory part is employed as a combined burner tip and holder for the tip. -Only a single sealing gasket 33 is requiredat the connectionof the flange end 39 of the-body 3t and the threaded hollow sleeve 28 of the nipple connection 25. The-burner H) can be readily assembled and taken apart-by hand without the use of tools. To assemble the burner, the gasket 33 is placed in position on the hollow sleeve 2-9 of the nippleconnection 23 and the flange end as of the combined tip and holder may be secured in position by the cap member 3i Without the use of any tool. The refractory shape It is then positioned in thebase'22, the combined tip and bolder i5 passing through the opening H in the refractory .shape. After this is done, the cap member 3! is .nested'in the well or recess [9. The cover 25 is then placed over the refractory shape It and moved downwardly over the upstanding side wall 23 of the'base 22, the frictional engagement of the shell parts being sufficient to hold them together.

Hence, a simple burner construction is obtained in which parts are compactly held together, thereby avoiding thenecessity of "cementing the refractory shape-within the outer metallic shell.

depart from the spirit and scope .of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. A gas burner-including a refractory shape having an open substantially cup-shaped cavity at :a :face thereof, said shape having a passage extending therethrough from the bottom of the cavity to an opposing face thereof, said passage including a'first section extending from the bottom-of the cavity and'a second section larger in-diameter adjacent thereto forming .a well or recess at the opposing face, an elongated refractory member, the first passage section being adapted to receive the refractory member to position the inner .end thereof in the cavity and an opposite outer'end thereof in the well, said refractory member having a number of openings extending axially therethrough from the outer end to the inner end which serves as a tip fordischarging combustible gaseous mixture into'the cavity for combustion therein, an outer metallic shell to receive said refractory shape having an opening at the region of the open cavity .and a bottom at the opposing face provided with an aperture opposite the well, and means positioned in the well for mounting and supporting the outer end of the refractory member on the bottom in such a manner that combustible gaseous mixture adapted to be supplied under pressure to the aperture can only pass into the openings in said refractory member.

2. A gas burner including a refractory shape having an open substantially cup-shaped cavity at a face thereof, said shape having a passage extending therethrough from the bottom of the cavity to an opposing face thereof, said passage including a first section extending from the bottom of the cavity and a second section of larger diameter adjacent thereto forming a well or recess at the opposing face, an elongated refractory member, the first passage section being adapted to receive the refractory member to position an inner end thereof in the cavity and an opposite outer end thereof in the well, said refractory member having a number of openings extending axially therethrough from the outer end toward the inner end, each of the axially extending openings communicating with the peripheral surface of the refractory member at a region spaced from and closely adjacent to the inner end, a base member at the opposing face having an aperture therein opposite the well, and means positioned in the well for connecting the outer end of the refractory member to the base member in such a manner that combustible gaseous mixture adapted to be supplied under pressure to the aperture can only pass into the openings in said refractory member.

3. A gas burner including a refractory shape having an open cavity at a face thereof, said shape having a cylindrical-shaped passage extending therethrough from the bottom of the cavity to an opposing face thereof, said passage including a first section extending from the bottom of the cavity and a second section larger in diameter adjacent thereto forming a well or recess at the opposing face, an elongated refractory member of cylindrical form, the first passage section being adapted to receive the refractory member to position an inner end thereof in the cavity and the opposite outer end thereof in the well, said refractory member having an annular-shaped recess formed in its periphery, said recess being spaced from and closely adjacent to the inner end of said member and being located in said cavity, a number of axially disposed openings distributed in a ring-like manner in the refractory member and extending lengthwise thereof from the outer end to the recess and terminating in the latter, a base member at the opposing face having an aperture therein opposite the well, and means positioned in the well for connecting the outer end of the refractory member to the base member in such a manner that combustible gaseous mixture adapted to be supplied under pressure to the aperture can only pass into the openings in said refractory member.

4. A gas burner as set forth in claim 3 in which the periphery of said refractory member at the recess is formed to provide radially extending walls between the openings to shield adjacent openings from one another at the discharge ends thereof at the recess.

5. A gas burner tip comprising a refractory member of cylindrical form having an annularshaped recess formed in its periphery, said recess being spaced from and closely adjacent to a first end of said member, the opposing walls of the recess being inclined toward the first end of the member, and a number of axially disposed apertures distributed in a ring-like manner in the member and extending lengthwise thereof from the second opposite end and terminating in the recess.

6. A gas burner tip comprising a refractory member of cylindrical form having an annularshaped recess formed in its periphery, said recess having an inner wall and being spaced from and closely adjacent to a first end of said member, 21. number of axially disposed apertures distributed in a ring-like manner in the member and extending lengthwise thereof from the second opposite end to the recess and terminating in the latter, and the inner wall of the recess being formed to provide radially extending walls between the apertures to shield adjacent apertures from one another at the discharge ends thereof in the recess.

7. A gas burner tip comprising a refractory member of cylindrical form having an annularshaped recess formed in its periphery, said recess having an inner wall and being spaced from and closely adjacent to a first end of said member, a number of axially disposed apertures distributed in a ring-like manner in the member, the apertures being cirular in cross-section and extending lengthwise of the member from the second opposite end to the recess and communicating therewith, and the inner wall of the recess being formed to provide grooves and partitions therebetween, each of the grooves being in alignment with an individual aperture and each partition extending radially outward a distance approximately equal to substantially half the diameter of an aperture.

8. A gas burner tip of cylindrical form including a head having a centrally disposed part project-ing axially from one face thereof, and a body having a centrally disposed recess at a first end adapted to form a seat for said part, the body being formed to provide an annular-shaped wall which projects axially therefrom at the first end and whose external diameter is less than that of the body, such wall defining the outer open end of the recess and serving as a support for the head to position said one face thereof in spaced relation with respect to the end face of the body which extends radially outward from the wall at the first end of the body, and a number of axially disposed apertures distributed in a ring-like manner in the body and extending lengthwise thereof from the second opposite end to the end face at the first end thereof outside the annular wall, the projecting part of the head being joined to the body in the recess of the latter and both the head and body being formed of refractory material.

9. A gas burner as set forth in claim 8 in which the outer periphery of the wall is formed to provide grooves each of Which is in alignment with that portion of an individual aperture nearest to the longitudinal axis of the body, the remaining outer portion of each aperture terminating at the end face of the body at the first end thereof.

10. A gas burner tip as set forth in claim 8 in which the opposing spaced apart face of the head and the end face of the body are inclined downwardly and inwardly.

11. A gas burner tip as set forth in claim 8 in which the outer periphery of the wall is formed to provide radially extending partitions between the apertures to shield adjacent apertures from one another at the discharge ends thereof at the end face of the body.

12. A gas burner comprising a refractory shape having a cavity in a face thereof, and an opening extending through the shape from the base of the cavity to a second face thereof, a metal cup to receive and protect said shape and extending across said second face, said cup having an opening therein aligned with the opening in said shape, a refractory gas distributing tip having a first and a second end received directly in the opening in said shape with the first end extending into said cavity, said tip having a plurality of axially extending passages terminating short of said first end of the tip extending into said cavity, said tip being provided with a radial passage extending from the exterior surface thereof to the said ends of said passages whereby gas flowing through said pas-sages will be directed substantially radially into said cavity, and means to attach rigidly the second end of said tip to said metal cup in alignment with the opening therein.

13. A gas burner comprising a refractory shape having a cavity in one face thereof and an opening extending from the base of said cavity to a second face thereof, a metal shell completely surrounding said shape to protect the same, said shell being provided with a first opening of a diameter slightly larger than said cavity to expose the same and with a second opening aligned REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,750,616 McCoy Mar. 11, 1930 2,103,365 Hess Dec. 28, 1937 2,215,079 Hess Sept. 17, 1940 2,287,246 Hess June 23, 1942 2,318,985 Baker May 11, 1943 2,339,477 Hess Jan. 18, 1944 2,367,119 Hess Jan. 9, 1945 2,402,045 Hess June 11, 1946 

